Training for Love?
by DelusionalApple
Summary: The Grimm family is treated horribly by the kingdom, as is every other subject forced to work for the Goodfellows. When the crown gets passed down to the royal family's eldest son, Puck, Sabrina and many other teens are required to live in the palace. But luxury comes at a cost, the teens must train hard for an upcoming war. Things aren't looking good for the Queen of Sneaks. AU
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) PLEASE READ - Hey guys, I'm back! I think it's been around two weeks since I've written anything, and I'm REALLY sorry. If I haven't been reviewing your stories, it's because I was gone. I'm catching up on reviewing right now. I do have an excuse, though. The first week I didn't write was because I caught a horrible case of the stomach flu and honestly, I just didn't want to move out of the bed. (I write on a computer, not a laptop) The second week was because I was taken on a surprise vacation to the beach. My mom didn't allow technology, so I couldn't bring any -.-**

 **ABOUT THIS STORY:**

 **This is an AU. It is _not_ in the past. It actually takes place in the future, so it will have some futuristic features to it later on. Along the future the world turns back into a sort of Medieval time-ish thing. That is why they live in castles and wear old style clothing. The poor people do not have access to the futuristic gadgets, which is why they have really OLDY stuff. The kingdom this takes place in has no humans, just everafters. Now, this is really hard to explain but if you have any questions feel free to ask. I will try to further explain this in the story or another authors note.**

 **P.S. I will slowly get to updating ALL my other stories. Please leave a review asking me which you want updated first. Majority rules. Reminder of which stories you can choose from: Never Grow Up, Basket of Apples, Surprise, Hues and Shades.**

 **I DON'T OWN THE SISTERS GRIMM! All I "own" is the plot :D**

 **Get to reading!**

Preparing a proper meal using a limited amount of sources was no easy task. Yet, Sabrina along with many other families of her level, attempted to achieve this every day. Sure, it tasted dull and old; and sure, it was gross and dirty. But hey, it was food. It kept them moving and alive.

Fetching the rusting metal bowl from the hanging cupboard in the kitchen, Sabrina began to gather the ingredients. She dumped some maggot-infested rice into the bowl and plopped in some diced tomatoes.

Grunting, she threw the remaining wood into the fireplace. The wood promptly sparked and warmed the cold room. She would need to fetch more wood later.

Hurrying over to the food, she hovered the bowl over the fire until it grew hot enough. Wiping off spots of accumulating sweat from her forehead, she carried the bowl over to the table. The table was basically a large barrel her family had picked up from the streets. Her family would gather around the table to eat while sitting on old cushions she stole from the local store. No, Sabrina felt no shame in stealing. How else would she keep her family alive? Exactly, there was no other way.

She heaved a long sigh and wiped her hands on her ratty dress. It was worn out and its old shade of blue had long ago become a faint grey. The sleeves clung tightly to her arms, and the hemline had shrunk reasonably. It was better than being naked, though! At least, that's what she convinced herself.

Sabrina peeked out the door towards the field where her family worked. "Dinner's ready!"

Her little sister, Daphne, dropped down her shovel and ran toward their little cabin. "Mmm, smells good," she said, giving Sabrina a hug.

Giving Daphne a faint smile in return, she waited for her parents to come inside. They usually took a bit longer to come in since they had to work at the other side of the field. Daphne, being fourteen, was a Dirt Filer. She would dig holes, fill holes, cover holes… you get the point. Her mom was a Harvester, she would take care of and harvest the plants. It left her with horrible back pain every night from bending over the whole day. Her dad was a Builder, he would make whatever the field needed to function. Lastly, Sabrina was a Planter. She would plant, well, the plants. It didn't seem very hard until you experienced it. These plants were _magic._ Meaning, they could cast spells, bite, scratch, and a lot of other harmful stuff.

Finally, her mother came limping in, followed by her father. "Hey Mom, Dad."

"Hello, Sweetheart," Mom murmured, placing a peck on her cheek.

Turning to her dad, Henry, Sabrina asked, "Hard day?"

Henry rubbed his head and gave her a side hug. "Ah, you know work. Every day is a hard day."

The worn out family sat down onto their designated cushion and munched down their meal, quietly. Occasionally, they would have conversations, but usually they were too tired to do so. Gulping down her cup of water, Sabrina glanced at her dad, he looked as if he was readying himself to say something.

Clearing his throat, Henry spoke, "There's going to be an announcement at the Center today."

Veronica let out a little gasp and Daphne bit her lip. There hadn't been an announcement at the Center for ages. The last known announcement had been when King Oberon had died years ago from an unknown cause. Sabrina raised her eyebrows, what could be so important?

Henry continued, "They're asking for only people ages fifteen to nineteen to come. Meaning Sabrina will have to go," he let out a large breath.

Standing up, Sabrina threw her cup onto the ground. "I'm not going. They can't force me."

"I don't think it's a request Sabrina. I think it might be a demand," Veronica whispered from her seat.

Daphne wrapped her arms around Sabrina's waist, "It can't be bad, right?"

It most definitely can! What if the Queen plans to kill all the people who are dumb enough to come? What if they capture the people for their own wicked reasons? The kingdom was not to be trusted. They treated their workers horribly, the _dogs_ received better treatment. No way was she attending. But, she didn't tell Daphne that. Instead she hesitantly nodded and gave Daphne's shoulders a squeeze.

"So you're going," Daphne stated plainly.

Sabrina reeled back from her sister. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No. I'm _not."_

" _Yes,_ you are."

"Fine!" Sabrina exclaimed, throwing her hands up in defeat. "Fine, I'll go." She flipped her head around towards her parents. "When is it anyway?"

Checking a stolen watch, Henry responded, "Right about now. Better get going or you'll miss it."

Groaning, Sabrina stormed over to the door. "If I die, I just want you to know that it's your fault."

"You're not going to die," Veronica pointed out. "You're being overdramatic. Make sure to tell us everything when you come back," she walked over and gave her a hug. "Stay safe."

"Yeah, yeah," Sabrina muttered and made her way out the door.

Other teenagers with the ages required to attend were also hustling out of their houses and toward the Center. Sabrina caught sight of a familiar black braid and hurried over to its owner. "Hey, Miki."

Her friend, Miki, turned to face Sabrina. "Hey. This thing is weird, huh?"

Nodding, Sabrina agreed. Miki was the daughter of Snow, and she was neighbors with the Grimm's. Being seventeen as well, she also worked as a Planter. Like Snow, Miki had midnight black hair and pale white skin. On the other hand, her eyes were a sea green coloring.

They walked in silence until they arrived at the Center. A crowd of teenagers had already formed and more were swarming in. A podium had been set up in the middle, complete with a guard at each side. The queen stood off to the side, along with her obnoxious son, Puck. Hovering near the two, was the youngest prince, Mustardseed.

"Wow this is full," Miki gaped. Then, eyeing a diamond etched into a piece of wood, she whispered, "Do you think it's easy to steal from here?"

Sabrina studied her surroundings. Only four guards, and a nice large crowd to hide the action. "As easy as stealing candy from a baby."

Chuckling, Miki gave Sabrina a mischievous grin. "Dibs on the diamond."

"Okay, I'll settle for the slice of gold I see peeking out of the bottom plank of wood," she agreed.

Before they could take action, the microphone sent an ear shattering sound across the area. The crowd covered their ears and winced. Queen Titania tapped the microphone twice and eyed the crowd, beckoning them to show respect.

The boys bowed and the girls curtsied, some more willingly than others. They knew whoever disobeyed would be punished.

"Welcome to the Center. I presume you are wondering why you have been brought here?" Titania didn't wait for a response before she continued. "As you know, my dear husband passed away a while back. My eldest son, Puck, will be turning eighteen in a few months. Therefore, today, I will crown him king."

Prince Puck strode towards his mother as she placed a jewel embellished crown onto his head. Taking the microphone, Puck gazed around the crowd. "Hello, my subjects."

The crowd muttered a low 'hello'.

"Today I will choose some of you to join me in the palace for… purposes I will not address in the presence of the unchosen." He scanned the crowd again. "If I tap you, go onto this stage. If you are not tapped, go to your homes and keep working."

Sabrina watched as boys and girls got tapped on their shoulders and hobbled onto the stage. The reactions were mixed, some squealed in glee while others complained under their breath. From far across, Puck met her eyes. Smirking, he slowly made his way over to where she stood.

Once directly in front of her, he tapped her shoulder. "You will make a _lovely_ recruit."

Her breath hitched a bit and she growled under breath. "Spoiled brat," she whispered under her breath, stalking toward the stage.

A strong hand stopped her. "What was that?" Puck seethed.

"Nothing," Sabrina said through gritted teeth, shoving his hand away.

Her heart elated a bit as Miki joined her at the stage.

"He's a real charmer," Miki said sarcastically, motioning towards Puck.

Sabrina let out a little snort but stiffened as Puck addressed the chosen teens. "You have been chosen to fight in an upcoming war. A neighboring kingdom has shown signs of starting a fight. I will personally train you. Any questions?"

There was a deadly silence as the teens gave eachother nervous glances. A war! The royal family thinks that they can just sweep up some teens and force them to fight in a war? She would run away if she knew she wouldn't be killed.

A lanky boy raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Where will we stay?"

Puck let out a fake smile and raised his hands into the air, "Here in the palace."

"Awesome," the boy responded, gawking.

A guard came up and whispered something in Puck's ear. Nodding, Puck shooed him away. "Follow me everyone."

The teens followed Puck as he moved across the floor. Sabrina and Miki stayed back, ready to steal some valuables. Just as Sabrina greedily reached out a hand towards the slice of gold, a loud _snap_ was heard from behind her. She quickly straightened herself and turned around to face an amused Puck.

He raised an eyebrow and snatched the two girls by each arm. "What do we have here? Hmm? A couple of filthy thief's, that's what. You two will be walking with _me,"_ he snarled and pulled them along with him.

"Everyone else is already in their rooms, for your information," Puck told them as they entered the palace.

Sabrina let her jaw drop open as they entered, she saw Miki do the same form the corner of her eye. It was _enormous_. The floor was pure white with tiny diamond pieces making it shine. The walls were crystal clean and seemed to radiate across the room. Servants hustled around the castle off to perform their separate duties.

"This must seem like heaven to you pigs," Puck commented, giving Sabrina a sharp tug.

"Hardly," Sabrina growled angrily.

After many twists and turns, they were shown to two separate rooms. "You with the black hair, this is your room," Puck said, shoving Miki into a bedroom before Sabrina could say goodbye.

He glided to the next room with Sabrina in tow. "Blondie, this is your room."

Sabrina stumbled into the room as Puck shut the door hastily close. "Stubborn mule," she complained as she jumped onto the bed. The room was huge and well decorated. She felt herself melt into the comfy bed. _Ah,_ this was kind of nice.

She wondered what her family would think when she wouldn't return for the night. Or the next day. Or the next. Who knew how long she would be in here.

But for now, she let herself drift off into sleep. Letting her dreams carry away any worries clinging onto her skin like mosquitos.

 **Till Next Time! :)**

 **~M**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N) This was requested to be updated! I just updated a short oneshot to Hues and Shades, and after this I will write a new chapter for Never Grow Up!**

 **Now to answer the lovey reviews :)**

 **CooloftheCool: Glad you like it!**

 **Annie Carter: WOWZA. I love reading long reviews :O Thanks for the apostrophe thing, I'll change it. And oh gosh, that thing in China sounds horrible. I'll also change aged rice to maggot-infested, that's what I was trying to show. I agree with the dystopian stories. I LOVE them, but sometimes they can get a bit repetitive. THANK YOU FOR BLESSING ME. I'LL GO AHEAD AND SPELL TITANIA AGAIN FOR YOUR CONVIENCE. Ready? Titania. Boom.**

 **Amy Grimm: Yes! I updated this for you and everyone else who requested it! I'll get to working on Never Grow Up :D**

 **OakeX: Thanks! And yup, just now updated Hues and Shades. I'll try to see what I can do about making the plot more original ^.^**

 **PUCKABRINALOVER: Thanks!**

 **Axel treehorn: Yup! Hope it keeps you interested :D**

An alarming bell rang through the air, startling Sabrina into an upright position. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she groggily stepped off the bed. Strips of sunlight were creeping out from behind the window curtains, so she moved the curtains and let the full sunlight sweep in. Though it hurt her eyes, the light helped her wake up. Of course, that meant the past days happenings also came back to her.

Ugh! She was in the palace, wasn't she? Basically a prisoner of stinking King Puck. And boy, did he stink. You would think a _king_ would have the decency to take a shower once in a while. But no!

Self- consciously, Sabrina lowered her nose and sniffed herself. Yikes! She wrinkled her nose in disgust. Well, the last time she had taken a shower was about a month ago… Her eyes grew wide as she realized there was a shower lurking in the corner of the room. She looked around to make sure nobody was in her room (then dumbly remembered it was locked) before letting out a little squeal of delight.

She stripped off her dress and threw it onto the pristine white floor. Turning the water temperature to quite warm, she dangled a toe into the water. Perfect. She got the rest of her body inside and gleefully washed the dirt and mud away. By the time she turned off the water, her hair and body felt like they were sparkling.

Peeking her head out of the shower curtain, she snatched a towel from a shelf. _Ah,_ this towel was _so_ soft. Wrapping the towel around her semi-dry body, Sabrina hopped out of the shower.

She smiled at the reflection in the mirror, maybe she could get used to this life. Sabrina was about to pull on her old dress, when there was a knock on her door. Who could that be? Wary that she was only wearing a towel as a little dress, she carefully made her way towards the door. Peeking her head out, she saw that it was a girl about a year or so older than her. The girl was dressed in a black dress and white apron, meaning she was of Maid status. Sabrina could make out strands of red hair peeking out of her white beret.

"Hello, Miss Sabrina. I'm Cordelia, your maid," Cordelia introduced, giving Sabrina a small smile.

Giving her a smile in return, Sabrina welcomed Cordelia inside. Cordelia swooped into her bedroom and sprung open a large closet that Sabrina hadn't noticed. Instead of outfits, it held _many_ different types of fabric. Who needed all tis fabric? Well, apparently _she_ did.

Cordelia grabbed a pair of short white leggings and a tank top. "Miss, could you please slip these on?"

"Erm, okay," Sabrina said, rushing into the bathroom and putting on the garments. They were very form fitting, but she guessed that was the point.

Hurriedly, Cordelia grabbed different fabrics and aligned them next to Sabrina's face. She mumbled in dissatisfaction at the fabrics she didn't like, and threw those into a bucket. At the ones she did like, which was rare, she would drape them over her shoulder. After a bit, Cordelia sighed in relief and showed Sabrina the chosen fabrics. There were three; a light blue, a deep red, and a shiny silver. "Which would you like to wear for the Introduction?"

Sabrina tapped her chin in thought. She guessed the Introduction was, well, an _introduction._ Most likely a big one, knowing the royal family. She wanted to stand out, since a good first impression was already impossible. Thanks to His Royal Dumbness. "I think the red one."

Cordelia nodded, "Good choice. I've heard from the other maids that most girls are choosing pastel colors."

She couldn't help feeling a twinge of satisfaction that she would be different from the other girls. "How will you make the dress in time?"

Sporting a sly smile, Cordelia whisked out a wand. "Magic." With one poke of the wand, the red fabric had turned into a long dress.

Gasping at the use of simple magic, Sabrina took the dress from Cordelia's outstretched hands. "Thank you," she said, offering Cordelia a side hug.

"Your welcome, Miss. After you finish putting on the dress, I've left a pair of shoes next to the closet that you can slip on. For today we have nobody set to do your hair, so feel free to do whatever you please with it. The Introduction takes place in the Dining Area, follow the other guests to get there. Good day," Cordelia finished, closing the door behind her.

Sabrina felt a little tingle as she swept the dress onto herself. The sense of magic always left her with a little feeling, whether it was big or small magic. It was magic, nevertheless. She tucked her feet into the shoes that Cordelia left for her, they had a slight heel making her about two inches taller. Now, what to do with her hair? It was still wet from the shower, so she couldn't leave it down. Grabbing an elastic, she hastily brought her hair into a bun. Leaving a loose strand to hover over her face, she decided she was ready to go.

She stared at her reflection and tried to convince herself that she was _dignified._ And for once, she felt _worth_ something. Maybe people would actually listen to her if she looked like this. Maybe they would pay attention to when she was hurt, or when she wanted to rest.

Her smile soon quirked down into a frown. Would her family be able to sustain themselves without her help? She was the one who cooked and cleaned the house, and though it was small, her work provided a little more money. It helped. But now she was gone from them, and she couldn't help but feel guilty.

Her guilt soon became anger. Who exactly did King Puck think he was? The _king?_ Well, actually he _was_ the king. But still! Aren't kings supposed to love and care for their people? Puck was going to get a piece of her mind if he thought he could just come in and boss them around.

Marching out the door she made her way toward the Dining Area. Well, until she bumped right into Prince Mustardseed.

"I presume you're going to the Dining Area?" Mustardseed asked, chuckling.

Brushing off her dress as if she had dirt on it, she scoffed. "Yes I am, you _presumed_ correctly." Mustardseed was probably just like his older brother. After all, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Turning left, she strode away from the prince.

Rushing over to her, Mustardseed placed a hand on her shoulder. "I could show you the way, if you want."

These people have something with placing their hands on shoulders. Shaking off his hand, she continued to walk. "I think I know where I'm going, thank you very much."

"The Dining Area is _that_ way," Mustardseed said, pointing the opposite direction to where Sabrina was heading.

Turning and walking the opposite direction, Sabrina muttered, "Knew that."

Luckily though, Mustardseed gave up and went the other direction with a loud sigh. Dramatic much? Reaching the end of the hall, Sabrina caught sight of a grand room. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, and portraits of the royal family hung on every wall, at the end of the room sat a long oval table. Most of the teens were already here, Cordelia was right, most girls were wearing pastel colored dresses while the boys wore suits.

In the corner, Miki wore a deep violet dress and was silently staring out of a window. She caught Sabrina's eye and made her way over to where she stood. "Wow, Sabrina. You look _different_."

"Thanks, you look… _different_ too," Sabrina responded with a laugh. "This is big, isn't it?"

Miki nodded and a grin overtook her face. "See that guard, over there? I think I caught him staring at me a few times."

Waggling her eyebrows, Sabrina looked over to the guard she was pointing at. He had dark brown hair and welcoming caramel eyes. Sabrina read the nametag on his suit, _Shane Nyguen._ "Go talk to him!" She pushed Miki over to the guard.

Soon the two were enveloped in a deep conversation. Sabrina observed how Shane's eyes twinkled and wrinkled at the corners when he laughed, and how Miki's cheeks were now tainted pink. Miki gave her a thumbs up and Sabrina returned the gesture.

A loud clanging was heard from the other side of the room. Then, a loud booming voice, "Hello, Subjects."

Of course, _Puck_. She internally groaned and turned to face King Puck. The room echoed a 'hello' and kept quiet as he spoke.

Snapping out of his kingly voice, Puck took the tone of an everyday person. "You guys must be really impressed by your clothes, after all, you used to wear ugly peasant clothes. Ick."

All of a sudden, Sabrina felt somewhat ashamed to have been born at the level she was. Then guilty again as she thought of how hard her family worked to keep them at that level.

"Anyway, I'm gonna set up some rules for your stay. No stealing," he said, eyeing Miki and Sabrina. "Respect people on a level above you, be on time for everything, train hard, and try not to fall in love with me. Any questions?"

Not bothering to raise her hand, Sabrina spoke, "Yeah, I have one. Do you seriously expect us to act like you didn't just _steal_ us from our families? They can't care for themselves! They need us."

Glowering, Puck pointed an accusing finger at Sabrina. "Tsk tsk. Speaking without permission. I'll have my eye on you. What's your name?"

"Sabrina Grimm, and you still haven't answered my question."

Puck seemed amused and snapped his fingers at a maid nearby. "Write this down. All the families of the teens here will be given extra salary and less work hours. But _only_ if the teen stays. If the teen gets kicked out or dies, the family goes back to the way they used to be. Put the Royal Seal on it."

Satisfied, Sabrina crossed her arms across her chest in defiance. "That's more like it."

"Better watch your talk, Grimm. Or I may kick you out," Puck drawled, sitting down at the table.

"Better watch yours," she muttered under her breath.

Soon, everyone was sitting at the table gobbling down some of the kingdoms finest food. Delicious. A piece of juicy steak, a bowl of fresh salad, bread, and some soup. To top it all off, a choice of a drink. Sabrina wasn't old enough to drink, so she had some milk. She hadn't had milk for a _long_ time. Patting her full stomach, Sabrina let out a little moan in pleasure.

Puck raised an eyebrow. "Satisfied, Grimm?"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," she responded.

Though she really was. This whole meal was the equivalent of a week's meal back home. She couldn't let Puck know that, however.

The table was silent as everyone ate in pure bliss. Miki and Shane kept exchanging little glances and Sabrina thought it was kinda cute. Annoying, yes, but cute. Hey, she may be a tomboy, but that didn't mean she could let her inner girl out sometimes.

Clanging his cup, Puck made an announcement, "We start training at noon. Come ready in clothes fit for hard work." Standing up, he left the room.

The remaining people chatted for a bit, but soon the crowd dispersed and left to their own bedrooms. Sabrina went to find Miki, but found her talking to Shane. She couldn't help but feel a little left out. Weren't friends more important than boys? Oh well, she'd let Miki enjoy the extra attention.

Leaving the room, she felt happy about what Puck had done for their families. Maybe she could write a letter to her family giving them the news. Later, when she felt in the mood.

A couple hours later, Sabrina was dressed in loose gray pants and a dark blue top. A voice rang out on the loud speaker, "Trainees meet at the Green Gardens."

Huffing, Sabrina made her way to the Gardens. She was ready for anything. Or so she thought.

 **(A/N) Yes, in case I wasn't clear enough, Shane Nyguen is Asian. To be specific, he's Vietnamese. Hope you can picture him better like that! I feel like Asians in general don't get represented enough, can't speak for myself since I'm Canadian.. but my best friend is Vietnamese and she's pretty mad at how little she's represented in movies and such. Like, geez movie and book people, represent everyone! And I mean the everyone. Whites, Blacks, Asians, Latinos, Europeans... I know I missed a lot, sorry. ENOUGH OF MY RANT THOUGH!**

 **Till Next time!**

 **~M**


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N) Finally had time to update! Let's answer reviews!**

 **Coolofthecool: Nope, this isn't prewritten, I just had a strong urge to write that day. The way I write is I sit down, and the words just come to me. Usually it takes about an hour to write a full chapter. The sevrents are handed strict magic, so really it can't do anything but help with basic needs. Yes, they do change out of the dressy clothes to train :D Maybe I will do a Daphne P.O.V, i'll think about that.**

 **Annie Carter: Aladdin! Yes! Youch, nope, Puck really jumped headfirst into this. QUITE THE THINKER. I'll fix the 'your'! Maybe there's different ways to spell Nyguen/ Nguyen? I've known both. Yeah, Puck is really unfair.**

 **Axel Treehorn: Thanks, and yes! We totally need more races in series.**

 **OakeX: Thanks, and yup, I got that ironic part bwahah.**

 **~~~~~~Read~~~~**

Hustling through the hallways, Sabrina bumped right into a tall figure.

"We really must stop meeting eachother this way," Mustardseed said chuckling, helping Sabrina align herself.

Huffing, Sabrina blew a clumsy hair strand out of her face. "You should watch where you're going then."

Alarmed, Mustardseed raised his caramel colored eyebrows. "You don't believe _you_ are the clumsy one?"

"It's obviously you, _prettyboy_ ," she mocked, sashaying away.

"The Training is _that_ way!" Mustardseed yelled after her.

She could practically see the smug smirk plastered onto his lips. Red in the face, Sabrina turned around and stormed the opposite direction. These royal people were really getting on her last nerve. They thought they were all that a box of chocolate. Please, as if.

Arriving at the Training Area, Sabrina caught sight of Miki luring near the handsome guard. As she waved, a strong hand gripped her wrist.

"No social interaction at training. Put that hand down or it'll be gone," Puck snapped, slowly releasing his grip on her wrist.

Biting her lip to prevent herself from troublesome language, she nodded dangerously. Though her glare was boring into the annoying king's head. If looks could kill, he'd be long gone by now. Buried ten feet under where he belonged.

A piercing whistle blew through the stiff air and called the trainees into a straight line. Sabrina was placed in-between a long haired boy and a burly girl. Yikes.

"Many of you won't last this whole training. Today the wimps will leave alongside the cowards, _empty-handed._ Those of you willing enough to stay will face many hostilities you are unfamiliar with. Let the training begin," Puck boomed out, meeting eye contact with every person quivering in the dense crowd.

Snapping his fingers, Puck ordered the surrounding guards to pair up with a teenager.

Sabrina was paired off with a guard clothed in black, caramel hair peeked out of the hat, and stern blue eyes watched her. He was the only one without his full head exposed. Strange.

Clapping his hands, Puck announced the beginning of the training.

"Okay so-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the guard had landed a punch at her stomach.

Crouching over in pain, Sabrina mustered out, "What was that for?"

The guard mumbled something inaudible before kicking her swiftly to the ground.

Letting out a small _ouch,_ Sabrina wearingly brought herself back up into a standing position. Raising her fists, she growled, "Two can play at this game."

As she lunged the balled up hand toward his face, the guard countered the failed attack and flipped her onto her back. After wedging his foot between her shoulder blades countless times, the guard let go and stepped back.

Whimpering, she pulled herself back up. It hurt, but she couldn't just let him win so easily. Ow, her muscles were in a lot of pain. It felt as though someone pinching her every time she moved.

"How about-"

The guard punched her in the arm.

Clutching the pulsing arm, Sabrina tried to speak again. "Lets-"

A slap to her face.

Letting out a cowardly cry, Sabrina sank to the ground. "Listen-"

A kick to her leg.

A yelp escaped her throbbing throat. Wincing, she straggled back onto her feet. The guard's aqua eyes watched her every move, he seemed amused. The darn rat. He probably took pleasure in her suffering.

The guard raised his hand again, and Sabrina readied herself for the pain that was surely to come soon. Squeezing her eyes shut, she looked away.

But the hurt never came.

Opening her eyes, she glanced back at the guard.

"Are you okay?" He asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

" _No,"_ she snarled, reeling away from him. " _No I am not okay."_

Cautiously, the guard took a step towards her.

She froze.

Another, and another. Soon he was directly in front of her, but she had no place to run. She was cornered.

"Get away-"

He pressed his lips onto hers sturdily, pushing against them. His hands ran through her hair and as much as she wanted to pull away, her feet felt glued to her spot. Placing his hands on either side of her face, she just about melted right there on the spot. Pulling away for a breath, the guard glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Nobody.

Sabrina gaped and felt her lips. Slapping the guard, she sprinted away.

She could hear yells behind her but she kept running. Stopping in front of her door, she quickly pulled it open and slipped inside. Slamming the door behind her, she collapsed onto the bed.

What the heck just happened? That escalated really quick. She had _not_ been expecting that. Why hadn't she pulled away? Why had she felt her feet slip from under her? And arg, how her body hurt. Clutching her aching self, she curled up into a ball of confusion and pain. So much had happened. She had been forced away from her family to live at the palace, she had breakfast with the royal family, she fell to the ground so many times she lost count, and she had been kissed by a guard. A guard who seemed eerily familiar.

Blue eyes, caramel hair... why couldn't she place him?

Limping over to the grand window, she wondered what her family was doing at this very moment. Maybe they had received the news on the money raise? Or maybe they hadn't, and her father was mending wood, and her mother was bending over, and poor Daphne was trying to balance everything. Tears rose to her eyes and she didn't bother to wipe them clean. It wasn't fair. Why should she have been chosen? Why not someone else?

Gulping down the growing lump in her throat, she washed away the tears glued onto her face.

A knock beat hard on the door. Who could that be?

Reluctantly, she slid open the door. Mustardseed stood on the other side.

"What're you doing here?" She questioned, unsure of whether to allow him inside.

Looking into her room, Mustardseed allowed himself inside. "Nice room," he commented, pacing to and forth.

She raised an eyebrow and closed the door. "Thanks, but you still haven't answered my question."

Abrutly stopping, Mustardseed rubbed his chin and thought for a while. Clearing his throat, he said, "Puck is very mad at you for storming out the way you did."

Shrugging, she crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "I had my reasons."

"What were they?"

"I'm not telling."

"Don't act like a baby, tell me."

"No."

"I'll have your hand cut off."

"Okay, okay. I was kissed."

Smirking, Mustardseed raised his eyebrows. "By who?"

"A guard, thank you very much," she stated, giving a sniff in his direction. "It was very sudden and unexpected. First, he basically pummeled me to the ground and beat me to the brink of death. Then, he just decides he can kiss me! Well I couldn't handle it so I ran away."

"You think he was very sudden and unexpected?" He asked, a joking tone gracing his voice.

"Yes, very. And rude. And impolite."

"Mmm," he said, deep in thought. "What did he look like?"

She walked across the room and sat in a chair. "Well I wouldn't really know. All I could see was his blue eyes, and some caramel colored hair peeking out of his hat. Well, kind of like, kind of like yours," she paused, and studied his hair. "A lot like yours..."

Widening his eyes, Mustardseed changed the topic. "Did you like it?"

"Like what?"

"The kiss."

She stopped and thought about it. It was nice... But then again she had never been kissed before. Well, there was that kid when she was small that accidently fell on top of her. But that didn't count. "Well... I guess," she drawled, caught in a daze.

A little smile formed on his lips. "I bet he thought it was nice, too."

She shrugged and stood up. "Don't you have bigger duties to attend to other than discussing a kiss with a peasant?"

Checking his watch, he pursed his lips and made his way toward the door. "That I do. Lunch begins soon, don't miss it."

"Okay," she called as he opened and shut the door.

Something was up with that guy.

 **(A/N) Okay so most of you probably know who the guard is. I think I made it pretty obvious. If I didn't, though, would you like to know? Mustardseed! Puck! Sabrina! Miki! Shane! *mystical music***

 **P.S. CONGRATS TO EVERYONE WHO MOVED TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF EMBERS CONTEST! I, personally, did not, but all you who did totally deserved them. I keep reading them over and over again :D**

 **~M**


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N) I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A MONTH. Oh gawshhhh I'm so so so sorry. No excuses, because you've all heard them. This chapter has some CHEMISTRY! If ya know what I mean *le wink*. Okay, not like THAT chemistry, I know what you're thinking. GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER. Geez Louis. Okay, reviews...**

 **marjiee8771- Thanks!**

 **Axel Treehorn- Where was 'the series' written? I can't seem to find it :O There is some smells flying around! hmmmmmmm**

 **guest- Thank you!**

 **Howtobeafangirl- Just did :D**

 **PrincessesneedRocketLaunchers- Thanks for telling me :)**

 **OakeX- Unfortunately, no cops. Poor Sabrina. HMMMM I wonder why he likes her so much, I wonderrrrrrr *knowing smirk* muahaha**

 **NiceTyl- I'M GLAD YOU DO. YAY!**

 **Annie Carter- Oooooops *.* The pairing begins...NOW. Maybe he has caramel worthy eyebrows? I love those commercials, always make me hungry.**

 **reddawnfox- Yup :D**

 **~~~~~~~~READ~~~~~~**

A knock on the door abruptly woke Sabrina up from her nap.

A head popped in, followed by, "Miss Sabrina? May I come in?"

Oh, that must be Cordelia. "Erm," she straightened her rugged outfit and sat up in her bed, "yes, yes you may."

Cordelia strode into the room carrying a gray dress over her arms. "The lunch begins soon, and" Cordelia eyed her up and down, from her sweaty hair, to her smelly feet, "you haven't taken a shower yet!"

Before Sabrina could get a word out, she was being ushered into the shower and being stripped of her clothing. Cordelia turned on the shower to freezing and quickly shut the shower curtain. She heard a little "hurry up" before the sound of the water overwhelmed her.

She scrubbed her fingers into her drenched hair and squirted shampoo over her reeking body. Shutting off the cold water, she poked her head to ask for a towel. Oh, look, it was already there. Sabrina grabbed the soft blue towel and wrapped it around her head. She used a longer white towel to wrap around her damp body.

Stepping out, she dried herself and put on undergarments. With the blue towel still on her head, and her body clothed in a bra and tight shorts, she walked into the bedroom where Cordelia stood impatiently. Sure, this made her a bit uncomfortable, but come on, Cordelia had just seen her nude. How much more awkward could it get?

Glancing up from the dress, Cordelia hurried over to Sabrina. "Miss, will you please put this on?" She handed Sabrina the long gray dress.

Nodding, Sabrina slipped the dress over her head and turned towards the mirror. The dress was _very_ tight in the chest and waist area, and then flowed out the remaining way. "Uh, Cordelia, I don't think this dress is allowing me to breathe," she gave a slight cough for emphasis.

Sighing, Cordelia shook her head. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do. King Puck has ordered that all the girls wear this dress."

"And the boys?"

This is when Cordelia's face turned a deep burgundy color. "The boys don't have a dress code, they may wear whatever they please."

 _What?_ This was not fair at all. Who did Puck think he was? Oh was she going to show him! "Do you agree with it?"

"Not at all. But I can't do anything, I'm nothing more than a maid."

"Oh," Sabrina let out a long breath and pursed her lips. "I'm sorry."

Frowning, Cordelia made her way to the door. "No need to be sorry," she said, and left without another word.

Poor Cordelia. She was a human just like everyone else. This was complete and total injustice towards females, and towards maids. Sabrina had to do something about it. Maybe Mustardseed would understand?

Sabrina let down her hair from the towel and let it hand damp across her back. No makeup, no hairdo, just her and a gray dress. Just in spite, she chose to wear gray flats instead of the high heels set out for her.

She went out the door with her head held high and walked into the Dining Area. The long table was already full. Boys dressed in different clothes on the left side of the table, and girls all dressed in tight gray dresses on the right. Puck sat at one end of the table and Mustardseed sat at the other end.

All the seats were full expect one next to Mustardseed, so she made her way towards the empty chair. She felt all eyes on her, and her face began to burn.

It felt like forever before she finally sat down in her seat.

"Okay, now that _everyone_ is here," Puck began, glancing her way, "we may eat."

The occupants began to eat, some stuffing their faces, and others trying hard to eat politely. Sabrina noticed Puck paying careful attention to everyone's eating manners, most likely judging who would go home soon. So to make sure she stayed, she sat up straight and lay the napkin on her lap. Gingerly picking up the spoon, she scooped up some warm soup and gulped it down.

Wow that was good. She continued on to the chicken, and then finished it off with her drink. Eventually, she deemed it the right time to talk to Mustardseed.

Leaning over to whisper in his ear, she spoke, "Did Puck force us to wear these dresses?"

She caught Mustardseed shudder at her breath on his skin before he responded. "Yes, he says it's because he wants the girls to not stand out, but I think he just wants to check you all out."

Sabrina peeked at Puck, and found him sending a death stare right back.

"You had nothing to do with it?" she asked him, making sure not to let herself lean in too far.

"No. But… I'm not complaining," he said, sending a look at Sabrina's chest.

She promptly pretended to be cold, and wrapped her arms to cover her chest. "Pervert," she whispered, narrowing her eyes.

Mustardseed widened his eyes as if he hadn't realised he had been staring. "Oh! I'm sincerely sorry, I hadn't noticed…"

Well, at least he hadn't seemed too into it. Okay, good. She tore her eyes away and took a sip of her drink. A hand was soon placed onto her upper thigh. She stiffened at the touch and her eyes darted around. She soon found Mustardseed with his arm under the table, and realised it was his hand. Her face flushed and she wondered if anyone else had noticed. What should she do? Was this a normal friendly touch, or should she be concerned?

A few moments later, Mustardseed moved his hand off her leg and intertwined his fingers with her own under the table.

Once again, she froze and her face grew even hotter.

He squeezed her hand slightly and scooted his leg to touch her own. Okay, things were getting a bit too close.

She muttered an excuse under her breath and stood up from the table. Quickly, she took large steps outside. Sabrina opened a closet and turned off the light so she couldn't see her own hand.

What. The. Heck. Just. Happened.

Wait… had Mustardseed also been the guard? Oh gosh! He had kissed her! Her hand flew up to her lips. This was all happening to fast, what was going on?

The door cracked open and a figure walked in to the closet, closing the door behind themselves.

"Who are you-"

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and a pair of lips were placed onto hers. She struggled against the grasp and managed to flick the light on.

The figure was shown. It was Puck.

She broke away and gasped. "What the heck?"

Puck widened his eyes and pulled away. "Sabrina turn off that-"

Sabrina burst with anger and she growled. "You little- _arg!"_

She kicked him between the legs and stormed off into her room. Shutting the door with as much force as she could muster, she flung herself onto the bed. What was happening?

 **(A/N) Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Omg guys 20 reviews in just three chapters? You guys are amazing :o**

 **Another squeeeeeeeee! THE CONFUSION! Honestly, I thought it was about time Sabrina hit one of them. Who better than the stupid annoying King Puck? Leave in a review if you think she should talk to Puck or Mustardseed in the next chapter :)**

 **~M**


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/U) THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Okay, time to answer them :)**

 **Emmer4444- O.O LE GASP**

 **clarinetjazz- Thanks!**

 **Guest- just did :D**

 **CupcakeSparkleGlitter- Mamma Mia!**

 **marijiee8771- MAYBE! Thanks :)**

 **Guest 2- ooooh good idea!**

 **Guest 3-Thanks! I'll make Sabrina stay firm next time :O**

 **Guest 4- THANKSSSS**

 **~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~READ~~~~~~~~~~~**

Breathe, Sabrina. Breathe.

Her chest heaved up and down with each labored breath. Her head was a whirl of confusion, and her lips felt hot and used. Her body felt vulnerable. She didn't like this feeling at all. She felt like an object. She needed some air. Fresh air.

Quickly, she shoved open the curtains, and unlocked the hatch to the balcony. Sabrina stepped onto the balcony and pushed herself up to the railing. From here, she had a view to the Palace Garden. She calmed herself down, and soon her heart was beating back at its normal pace.

Sighing, she let her shoulders slump, and she relaxed against the white railing. There was a slight wind, and it ruffled her hair, causing a few strands to fall out of her bun. A figure entered the garden, actually, wait, two figures.

She realised that one was Puck, and the other, was one of the girls that had been accepted into the training. Sabrina squinted, and tried to make out what they were saying. It seemed that Puck was suave talking the girl, who was giggling and twirling a piece of her hair around her slender finger. The girl moved closer, and placed her hands onto his chest. Puck took this as a signal, and leaned down, and the duo was soon engrossed in a passionate kissing session.

Sabrina gagged but forced herself to keep looking. After a few good minutes of this, er, session of lip locking, Puck broke out and the girl sauntered away, a skip in her step. A flutter of dust tickled Sabrina's nose, and without warning, she let out a sneeze. But not a dainty sneeze, no, a full on donkey sneeze.

Puck looked up to find Sabrina with her hand clamped over her nose and mouth. He smirked, and gave her an arrogant wave. With a salute, he left, leaving a very agitated Sabrina behind.

She huffed under her breath, exited the balcony, and shut the glass doors shut. A knock from her door made her snap out of her sudden wave of anger. "Yes?" she asked, opening the door.

It was Mustardseed.

 _Great._

"May I come in?" he asked, but let himself in anyway.

Not wanting anything to become too violent or/and heated, Sabrina left the door wide open. Mustardseed noticed this with a slightly annoyed expression. Without invitation, he sat on Sabrina's bed, his legs hanging off.

"So…?" Sabrina drawled, shuffling her feet. She was leaning against the wall opposite of where he sat.

With a sigh, Mustardseed spoke. "Well, I think we should address what happened at lunch." When Sabrina said nothing, he continued. "I'm sincerely sorry, I have no idea what could have possibly come over me. My hands should be nowhere near you. The only one who has permission to do that is Puck, and so I'm sorry."

One sentence in particular stood out to Sabrina. "What do you mean 'the only person allowed to put his hands on me is Puck'?"

"Exactly what I said," he answered. Then added, "Wait, you don't know?"

Sabrina shook her head, she was starting to get a little bit annoyed.

"Well, every year, the king at the time, chooses some people around his age to be trainees. If there is no king at the time, but only a queen, then the queen gets to dandle around with the male trainees. If it is a king, then he gets to fondle around with the female trainees."

She was disgusted. Repulsed. Absolutely grossed out. The food from lunch was starting to work its way up her throat. "He gets to do _whatever_ he wants with us?"

Mustardseed nodded, and then said, "Don't worry, he plays it safe, if you know what I mean."

Sabrina did in fact know what he meant, which only added to the throw up feeling that was lingering in the pit of her stomach. Not only was she disgusted and angry, but a sick feeling of being scared had creeped up on her. There was a powerful man living only seconds away from her room, who apparently, could do whatever he wanted with her. Her face paled. "But you can't? Correct?" she asked, a new fear occurring as she realised he was in her room, and could act violently at any given moment.

"Well… no, I cannot. Unless you want me to," he suggested, his eyebrows rising. He shifted a bit on the bed.

Any other girl in this building would say yes without hesitation, probably would have climbed up next to him a long time ago. But Sabrina stood frozen in her spot. _Don't do it! You barely know this guy!_

She shook her head, but felt her face alight with flames. "Um, no. I'd rather not."

Mustardseed gave a small huff, and nodded. "You know, you can just sit here next to me," he said, patting a spot next to him.

Sabrina shrugged, and plopped onto the bed. "Should I be worried about Puck? And my safety?"

He rubbed the back of his head, contemplating on what to say. "Maybe keep your guards up. He's had his eye on you."

A shiver ran down her spine, and he must have taken it for being cold, because he scooted closer and awkwardly wrapped his arms around her. She bit her lip, and stiffened. Reaching as if she had an itch, she slightly shook him off. She pretended not to notice the hurt look in his eyes.

The door swing open and Puck strode in. At the sight of the duo sitting rather close on the bed, he furrowed his eyebrows.

"It's not what it looks like, big brother," Mustardseed stated, and stood up, brushing invisible crumbs off his suit.

Puck gave a quick nod but seemed agitated. After a few moments of intense staring with Mustardseed, he ushered him away, and soon Sabrina was left alone with the King.

She shifted, and jumped off the bed. Standing up straighter, he acknowledged Puck with a nod of her head. Sabrina took a step back as Puck took a large stride towards her. "Get away from me," she said, trying to sound strong, but her voice slightly shook.

He grabbed her chin and forced her took look him in the eyes. "Who do you think you are? Ever since you arrived, you've been arriving late to everything, messing around with my younger brother, and trying to kill me with your glares! Well, I've had enough, what you have against me!?"

Sabrina was shocked, and before she could help it, a laugh bubbled up from the back of her throat. "You- you _thought_ that _I_ had something against _you?_ Psh, it's totally the other way around!" her real voice came back, and she wasn't talking in the formal royal voice anymore.

Puck furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms childishly. "Well, _yeah!"_ his tone had also lost the voice of a royal. "Don't you?"

She thought for a while, then said, "Well not really. It's just that it got me really mad that you decided to just suddenly take me away from my _family,_ and say nothing of it. I haven't even _seen_ them, or _heard_ from them. Did you seriously think I've been jumping for joy? Yippee I'm locked up in a palace and forced to train for war?"

"Everyone here sure as heck seems happy about it! You're the odd one out!"

"Well, maybe that's a good thing!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Ya huh!"

They stood for a while in silence, they're glares boring into eachother. Anyone else would have thought this as a silly childish game, but they were talking about serious stuff. Totally different.

With a huff, Sabrina crossed her arms. "By the way, who was that girl you were with in the garden?"

He raised a sly eyebrow and smirked. 'Jealous?"

"No, just curious."

"That's for me to know and you to find out. Unless you're too dumb," he responded, and with that, he walked out the door.

 **(a/n) thanks for reading :) I just went on an update spree, so go check out my other stories! As always, hope you enjoyed, and please reviewwwww *puppy dog eyes***

 **~M**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N) I REPLACED THE LAST CHAPTER WITH THIS ONE. I reread the last one, with the mistletoe and flying, and thought it didn't really fit.** **I'm sorry if you liked it, but I hope you like this one more :)** **Gonna reply to reviews from the last chapter still!**

 **IAMAGUEST- Your review got me so so happy! BUT FEAR NOT, I will still use your idea in the story. Maybe even next chapter :D**

 **susiequeen300- It was the cutest, wasn't it? WHYYYYY. Now I took it off and lost the cutest chapter xD**

 **CupcakeSparkleGlitter- Aw, thanks! I hope I don't make Sabrina like the main character :O**

 **CupcakeSparkleGlitter- oooooh villain o.o**

 **Michelle Blackwell- Thanks, I changed the last chapter to do this :) I may add more meat to the fifth.**

 **MegsleeInTheTARDIS- Thanks!**

 **Musicheart- I'll take all your suggestions into thought!**

 **Guest (who left like 6 reviews)- Ohmygod. Did you just leave a DEATH threat? I suppose you want me to be scared now? I already talked about you in my other story. I'm not going to waste my time again on this story.**

 **OakeX- That Puck has returned!**

 **~~~~Read~~~~~~~~~**

She glared at the bedframe, willed it to catch on fire and burn her to the ground. But she knew it would be a harsh death, her friend had been burnt while feeding the fireplace. So Sabrina walked towards the shower, and wondered if it would be better to drown instead. No, why die wet and cold?

Sabrina opened the doors to the balcony, and felt the wind send her hair spiraling across her face. She paid no attention. As if controlled by another force, she numbly hopped onto the railing and dangled her legs in the air. How easy it would be to fall off, never have to worry about all the problems that were stacked by her feet- weighing her down.

So, very easy… she inhaled a deep gulp of air, and was ready to jump when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. The person picked her up and dropped her onto the cold floor of the balcony. The _thump_ snapped her out of the daze.

"What the heck were you _doing?"_

Looking up from her position on the floor, she met eyes with Mustardseed. "I- I don't know." Her hands were trembling, and she didn't know why. "I had no control over myself." Was she cold? No. So why in dungs name was she shaking so much?

He furrowed his eyebrows and pulled her up by her arm. "You don't go _jumping_ off of _balconies_ in your _sleep_ ," he bellowed.

Blood rushed to her head and the reality of the situation came with it. She was _boiling mad._ "And you don't go prancing into girl's bedrooms without notice! You don't treat them like damsels in distress! You don't steal them from their families! You don't-"she was stopped by his hand clamped over her mouth.

Sabrina ripped the hand off of her lips. "You're just like your brother. _All of you._ All of you are the exact same; self-centered, snotty, controlling… I can't stand it!"

"And what? My brother's a tyrant or something? Here you go insulting the _king!"_ Mustardseed yelled, his face gaining a red undertone. "If I didn't like you so much-"

"That too! You barely know me! _How_ could you possibly have feelings for me!?" she snapped.

Mustardseed sputtered, opening his mouth and closing it. Finally, he scoffed and stormed out the door, slamming it shut.

She was left a raging mess, pacing around her room. "Who does he think he is," she muttered, glaring at her mirror image. "He can't boss me around! None of them can!"

The door opened and Cordelia fluttered in. "You're supposed to-"she gasped, "My lady! You're a mess!"

Sabrina released the breath she was holding in, and shakily sighed. "It's nothing, I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

Tilting her head, Cordelia said, "I don't think it's nothing. Tell me."

"The prince got on my nerves, and I sort of exploded all my anger onto him."

Grinning wickedly, Cordelia replied, "You have a Training Session in a couple minutes. Let's get you dressed to impress so you can kick some royal butt."

Raising her eyebrows, Sabrina laughed at her choice of words. Cordelia never spoke like that. "Okay," she agreed.

In a couple minutes, Cordelia was done with the look. Sabrina was dressed in tight black pants, which were surprisingly stretchy; a black tank top; combat boots; and her hair was in a high ponytail. She felt ready to kick some royal butt, as Cordelia had put it.

Studying her work, Cordelia said, "Okay, so go out to the Garden."

As Sabrina turned to leave, Cordelia finished, "Sabrina? Make sure to take out all your anger on those prissy boys."

Smiling, Sabrina replied, "I'll make sure to."

…

Entering the Garden, Sabrina noticed all eyes turn to face her. She held her head high, and walked towards the crowd. Amused, she noticed some girls came in _dresses._ Miri found herself at Sabrina's side and tapped her arm. "You look like you could knock out anyone in this room," she whispered.

"Thanks," Sabrina lowered her voice to match Miri's tone. "I'm glad you didn't come in a dress."

Miri, who was dressed in some sweats and a top, nodded.

Puck walked out to the front of the group and announced, "Today you're going to be sent in to the Wildnerness. Don't worry, I will have guards stationed throughout the forest. Make it through the night."

As he left the crowd, he winked at Sabrina. Her insides tightened.

…

They were all standing in a line right outside the forest, Puck was handing each a dagger. 'This is all you will have to defend yourself. Please don't kill eachother, don't be idiots."

He stood infront of Sabrina, pressing the dagger into the palm of her hand. "I'll be keeping my eye on you," he told her, brushing his finger across her face before moving onto the next person.

A whistle blew, and they were dismissed to enter the forest. Sabrina checked the sky, it would be dark in just a few hours. She had to work on food and shelter fast.

Running behind the other trainees, she ran past the trees and into the wild. Most had decided to keep straight, meaning the food would be scarce in the middle. She looked to the left: it was dark. The right: light streamed through the trees. The choice was obvious, but Sabrina shook her head and took the left.

She gripped the dagger harder in her hand, her knuckles becoming white. Water. She could hear it moving farther down. Watching her step, she traveled through the bushes and crumpled leaves. She reached a river, and her mouth gaped open at the sight. Pixies were darting around, in a yellow lighted dance. The water was illuminated by a soft pink glow, and Sabrina swore she saw a mermaid tail splash down.

She poked her hand in the cool water and sucked on a finger- it was freshwater, she could drink it. Water supply, check. Now she needed food and shelter. As she pulled her hand into the water again, a hand wrapped its fingers around her wrist. Sabrina gasped as a girl swam out of the water.

The girl had milky skin and long, aqua hair; her eyes were a strange violet, and were staring at Sabrina with curiosity. As she let go of her grip on Sabrina's wrist, Sabrina noticed the girl had scaly fish tail. This girl was a _mermaid._ Sabrina had heard of them before, but she had never actually seen one in person.

"H-hi, I'm Sabrina," she stammered, sitting on the water's edge.

Tilting her head, the mermaid replied, "Hello, Sabrina. My name is Xenia." Her voice was tranquil and coated with magic.

Her nerves easing, Sabrina said, "Nice to meet you, Xenia. I'm just going to be here for the night, I was wondering if I could take shelter here."

"Why, of course. Your calm kind is always welcome here," Xenia replied. "My sisters and I can fetch you food, and the pixies will graciously make you a temporary home."

Before Sabrina could thank her, she had dived back into the water's depths. Glancing to the right, she noticed the pixies were already busy building. Wow, she bet Puck had never expected her to meet creatures as gracious as these. In no time, Xenia had surfaced with about three other mermaids. "We have brought you fish, seaweed, and fresh water."

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much," Sabrina said, reaching out her hands as the mermaids gave her the food.

"We'll keep watch over you, Sabrina," they replied in unison, and dived back down.

Sabrina walked over to her new hut the pixies had built. It was made of enormous green leaves, and decorated with colorful flowers; it was tied with vines and mud. "Wow! Thanks," she told the pixies. She swore she heard them giggle as they flew off and carried on dancing,

Sitting crisscross in the leafy hut, Sabrina took a sip from the jug of water. She continued to eat the crispy seaweed, finishing it up with the- surprisingly- cooked fish. Her stomach full, she decided to save the water is she was thirsty later on, and hid it in a nook of the hut.

It was night now, and the stars and moon were out. If she could, Sabrina would've liked to stay there forever. Swimming with the mermaids and flying with the pixies.

Laying down, she got comfortable on the floor of soft plants. She closed her eyes- and was interrupted by an abrupt beeping noise. Hustling out of the hut, she looked around. Narrowing her eyes, she noticed a video camera taped onto a nearby tree. She growled, the king was probably watching her.

Grateful that she knew how to climb trees, she stealthily wrapped her legs and arms around the tree and pushed herself up. As she sat on a thick branch, she reached over and smirked at the video camera. "Bye bye," she said, smashing it onto the ground feet below. It shattered into pieces, and gave a final beep before shutting down.

She climbed back down, brushing herself off as her feet hit the ground. Yawning, Sabrina crawled back into the hut and gulped down some water. Now, finally, she went to sleep.

…

Morning came all too soon, and Sabrina woke up to streams of light sneaking through cracks. She sat up, stretching her arms as far as they could go. Ugh, she had a bad case of morning breath. She inspected the ground, looking for a mint leaf… ah, there was three!

Their smell was strong, so she took the largest and rubbed it across her tongue. She licked the next one. She mixed the last mint leaf with the water and drank the now minty liquid. Satisfied with her fresh mouth, she crawled out from the hut.

The forest was already wide awake. The river was clear and flowing, and the grass was swaying in the slight wind. All around her she saw tiny little pixies fluttering about. She knelt beside the water and washed her face. She noticed a familiar pair of violet eyes staring back at her, Xenia surfaced. "Good morning, Sabrina," she greeted, and her sisters swam up to the surface.

"Good morning," she replied, rubbing her eyes.

"You are welcome to take a bath here. The creatures won't harm you," Xenia offered, outstretching her hand.

Being naked around newfound strangers? Well… they _were_ female. Whatever. "Okay," Sabrina agreed, and slipped into the water.

It was deeper than she had thought, her feet didn't touch the bottom. Slowly, she undressed and threw her clothes onto the grass. Plants tickled her skin, and she felt exposed. Deciding she would clean the grime out of her hair, she let it loose of its ponytail.

The mermaids swam around the river, diving and playing in its depths. Xenia told her they would leave to find food and exercise, and be back in around an hour.

Alone and happy, Sabrina waded in the water. Every once in a while she let out a giggle as fish brushed by her ankles. It had been around ten minutes when she heard leaves and twigs crunching. Was someone there? She quickly swam to the part of the river where she knew a person couldn't tell she was nude.

And out popped Puck from the bushes. He caught sight of her, and not realizing she had no clothes on, told her, "We've been looking everywhere for you!" he scoffed, "Of course _you_ would be the one to take the dark path."

"Heh. Who knew, right?" she replied, desperately trying to find a way to get out of this mess.

He poked the water and raised his eyebrows. "Huh, it's warm." With no care in the world, he took off his shirt and threw it onto a branch. "I'm going to take a swim. You should be fainting at the sight of my rock hard abs."

She rolled her eyes, but heat rushed to her face as he jumped into the river. What was she supposed to do? How would she get him out? Would he notice? "Shouldn't we be getting back to the castle?" she asked him with a nervous chuckle.

"Eh, who cares? I'm the king," he bragged, diving down and getting his hair wet. "Dang, you really hate me."

"Wow, how could you tell?" she questioned, her voice coated with sarcasm.

Floating on his back, he responded, "Don't get all sassy with me. I'm the king."

Sabrina temporarily forgot she was nude as she narrowed her eyes and glared. "You say that a lot. Do you need to remember so that you can protect your weak self-esteem?"

"My self-esteem is sky high, Grimm."

She scoffed.

"No, really. And I've got a good heaping of confidence too."

"Sure that it isn't cockiness, and you're just confused?"

"Here, I'll show you," he said, and swam towards Sabrina.

She widened her eyes and tried to swim away. Oh please now, oh please no, oh- his arms had wrapped around her waist and he pulled her into his body. She froze as he ran his hand upwards. Don't do it, don't do-

"What the heck, Grimm. Are you _naked!?"_

Kicking his stomach, she paddled away. "Maybe!" she yelled at him, trying to cover her body. "Respect yourself! Turn away!"

He looked at his hands and his face turned pink. "I just touched a naked girl," he muttered.

"Turn away!"

Looking up, he said, "Give me some time to soak it in! Geez!" groaning, he covered his eyes. "The things I do sometimes. I should be crowned the World's Kindest King."

She climbed out of the river and hurried into the hut. Nothing to wear, nothing to wear… Her clothes were a soaked mess, Puck had accidently pushed them into the river. Sighing, she took the black shirt Puck had been wearing. She slipped it on, and the bottom of the shirt reached slightly above her knees. It would have to do. "You can open your eyes now. Even though I'm almost positive you peeked, Idiot."

"You've got no proof," he retorted, and pushed himself out of the river. "My pants are soaked now!" he whined, looking down.

"Who cares? Don't even _think_ about taking them off," Sabrina warned as she saw him smirk.

Wanting to thank the mermaids and pixies for helping her, she snatched a royal pin off of Puck's pants. Sticking it onto a leaf, she left it beside the river with a shiny rock. Sabrina hoped they would realise it was from her.

"Okay, Slowpoke. Let's go now," he ordered, striding through the plants.

With a sigh, she followed.

 **(A/N) I hope you liked it :) HAPPY NEW YEARS! Woooooooooooooo :D *throws confetti***

 **~M**


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N) My reign of procrastination has stopped. A new era has begun: The Era of M. *this would be much more dramatic if I told you guys my real name, but I'M NOT GONNA* In this chapter you get to know more on Puck's background/ explanation for acting like a jerk, and also a bit of why Mustardseed is such a loving doofus. Hope you haven't forgotten about me :)**

 **~Reviews~**

 **Curlscat- Thank you so much! My goal is to bring Puck back to the Puck we all know and love (and sometimes hate)**

 **Musicheart- You're definitely not bothering me, I love hearing from you guys :D The Valentines idea is really cute, but sadly I waited too long to update. BUT, I might have a summer ball! Hmmm... To answer your question, Sabrina is 17 and Daphne is 14.**

 **fangoddess123- Thanks! Sorry I took so long, but here I am!**

 **Guest- I will, thanks :)**

"You're terribly slow, Grimm," Puck called behind his back, as he parted some branches to make a proper pathway.

Sabrina scowled, and swished at the branches as they flung back at her. "Maybe it's because I'm soaking wet, and only wearing a baggy shirt as clothes. But what do I know?"

Stopping abruptly, Puck turned around and spun. "Unless you're too blind to notice, I'm _also_ soaking wet and only wearing pants."

She couldn't help but notice how cute he looked at the moment, and she mentally slapped herself- this was _Puck._ Shaking the thought away, she crossed her arms. "Do you even know where we're going?"

"Psh," Puck scoffed, "I am _king,_ of course I know where we're going." He then proceeded to stand up straighter, and his face became the masked seriousness she was so used to seeing. "The king is never wrong. Everyone else is simply idiotic in their way of thinking."

Her eyes widened, and she wondered what had caused the sudden mood change. It was with confusion that she noticed that he had been carefree up until that point- almost like any average boy. What had happened? "Um, Pu- I mean, King Puck, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay," he spat, glaring at her. "But you, as a feeble female, wouldn't know that."

Oh that did it. "Excuse me? 'Feeble female'? This isn't the 20th century! If you listened in classes, you would know that there was a wave of feminism in the early 2000's, which resulted in the Power for Woman motion in 2025! _Which,_ resulted in equal pay for woman, a significant decrease in female abuse, and a raise in body confidence. And then in 2040, we had our second female president who had no husband, and on top of that she was a minority race!"

Puck grunted, but he was unable to disguise the surprise that transformed his features. "A king-"

Sabrina snapped her fingers in front of his alarmed face. "And enough with the king stuff! _I get it,_ you're the king, but I don't need to be reminded of it every ten seconds." She paused, and then said, "Just moments ago you were relaxed and fun, I _actually_ didn't hate you. But now you've got to ruin it all by being snobby again!"

"Gosh darnit woman, don't you understand?"

" _Understand what?"_

He rubbed the side of his face. "My father, the late king Oberon, taught me that woman were inferior and that we should treat them as such-"he raised his hand in a stop motion when he saw Sabrina open her mouth. "That's all I've ever known. And then you come along with your 'I should be treated equally' thing, and I start to realise that _maybe_ what I've been taught was wrong. No girl has ever stood up to me like that, how was I supposed to know what I was doing wasn't right?

"And I hate that you can make me doubt myself after only days. You've been able to make me question something I've known my _whole life_ in _days._ Do you know how bad that makes me feel?"

She was speechless. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't know, I don't exactly go shouting it from the rooftops."

What was she supposed to respond to that? He had basically just confessed to her why he treated females like dirt. And she couldn't just let him off the hook, but she also couldn't help but feel horrible that he hadn't known any better- and on top of that, she was proud that she was the one who was slowly changing him. "I can help you with that," she said under her breath.

He tilted his head. "How?"

"Anytime you feel like you need help calming down, give me a signal and we can meet up," she said, her mind already trying to come up with a discrete signal.

"How about we sneeze?"

"Too common. What if we _actually_ sneeze? What if we… scratch our heads?"

"I'm wearing a crown most of the time, it'll get knocked down."

There was a short silence, and then Sabrina perked up. "What if we lightly trace a circle on our cheek? It's easy to hide, and not common enough that we'll mistake it for something else."

"Cheek tracing it is." Puck smirked and lightly traced a circle on his cheek.

Biting the inside of her mouth to prevent a smile, she copied the signal. "Okay, so it's all settled," she said. "Now we have to get back to the palace." The word 'palace' still felt so foreign when she said it.

…

After about an hour of going around in circles, they finally found a trail that led to the palace. They followed it for about half an hour, until they caught sight of the group of trainees.

The trainees looked at their lack of clothing and wet hair with scrunched faces. Miki, who had been hanging around the handsome guard, waggled her eyebrows at Sabrina, who in turn, narrowed her eyes.

"Well then," Puck began, addressing the crowd. "I had to pick up Grimm here before she got herself killed," he said, giving her a light punch. "So, er, now…"

Sabrina gave him a swift kick to the shins, hoping it would bust him out of his awkward daze.

He grunted, but seemed to snap out of it. "I've decided that the girls no longer have a dress code, and may wear whatever they want."

Sabrina grinned, and her stance got visibly straighter.

"And I've also decided that if any girl feels that I have overstepped my bounds, they can tell me so, and I will stop whatever has upset them."

That did it. Sabrina let out a tiny squeal and a giddy bounce- and instantly blushed as she realised what she had just done.

When the crowd departed to go change and eat, Sabrina lingered behind, wanting to get Puck alone. When they all left, she stomped on his foot. "Ohmygoodness! _Yes!"_

"What was that for!?" he groaned, but his smile was growing.

"It was an affectionate foot stomp," she told him.

He raised his eyebrows. 'If that was affectionate, I don't want to see angry."

"You really don't," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

Before he could say anything else, she was already running towards the entrance, her hair flying free behind her.

…

She arrived- disheveled- to her room, where she found Cordelia talking to Mustardseed. The sight of the two together slightly alarmed her, but she kept her cool until they noticed she was there.

Mustardseed instantly was by her, swooping down and kissing her hand. "Until we see eachother again," he murmured, leaving.

Sabrina raised an eyebrow and turned to Cordelia. Cordelia's red hair was peeking out of her bonnet in loose strands across her face, and her cheeks were sprinkled pink. "Cordelia? What was that all about?"

"The prince is quite the charmer, Miss," she told her with a little giggle, but then lowered her voice. "But he's been touched."

"Touched?" Sabrina repeated, she had no idea what the word meant besides the act of actually touching something or someone.

Cordelia nodded violently and shut the door with a _bang._ "It's very obvious to a girl like me, afterall, my father was touched too. That's why he left my mother."

"That's very… good and all, but what actually does being touched mean?"

"You don't know?"

Sabrina shrugged and shook her head.

A secretive grin transformed Cordelia's usually serene features, and she patted a chair next to her, and Sabrina sat down. "Being touched means that you've been, well, _touched_ by a person of magic who wants you to fall head over heels for someone. Usually it happens to boys, but it can also happen to girls."

'So basically a love potion?"

"In a sense, I suppose, but not really. You see, you don't drink or eat anything to be touched, the person of magic has to physically touch you for more than ten seconds under the other person's consent. So the person of magic can't just run up and hug them forcefully, the other person has to be okay with it. That's why usually the person of magic is someone the victim knows."

Cordelia took a breath and continued. "That's what happened to my dad. He was touched by one of his closest woman friends, and apparently she was secretly in love with him. My dad had nothing but friendly feelings for her, so when she went in for a casual hug, he was okay with it. But the woman was a sorceress, and she touched him so that he would fall in love with him."

Sabrina nodded slowly, processing the information. "So Mustardseed's been touched, most likely by someone he knows, and you were able to find out… how?"

"I've been here since Mustardseed and I were both two, I know his eye color very well. It's a dark blue with hints of green. But lately it's been a startling ice blue, _much_ lighter than usual."

"Okay… but who has the magic made him fall for?"

"You, of course. He's becomes so abnormal around you. Not to say a guy can't fall in love with you, Miss, you're very nice. But _no-one_ falls in love that fast. My question is _who_ touched him, and _why?_ Usually the person of magic makes the individual fall in love with themselves, not someone else. So why you?"

Sabrina's brain was working hard, trying to fit in all the pieces, but it just didn't make sense. Sure, it cleared up the whole Mustardseed mystery, but it opened a new one right back up. Who did it? And why did he or she choose Sabrina for Mustardseed? What piece of the puzzle was she missing?

Cordelia stood up and straightened out her dress. "Let's leave that problem for later. For now, what do you want to wear? I heard about the whole no dress code thing."

Her face warmed up and she said, "Uh, yeah. Puck was probably just having a good day, nothing more than that."

"Ooh, first name basis? So intimate."

"Cordelia!" Sabrina exclaimed, but doubled over in laughter. "Let's just stick to choosing what to wear. No more boy talk."

"Okay, okay. No more boy talk."

…

Sabrina came out of her room wearing a powder blue dress that was snug on her bodice and flowed out down to her knees- unfortunately, there was no pants but the ones for training, and those were wet with sweat. But at least this dress wasn't the floor length, grey, revealing dress that she had been forced to wear.

When she arrived at the dining room she was informed by a guard that the royal family was eating in their studies, and so she could mingle as she pleased.

As she entered the room, she smiled at the array of colours and styles of dressed all the girls wore. It really brightened up the mood in the place. She found Miki in a vibrant, yellow tea dress. Her dark hair starkly contrasted the dress, and her cheeks were sprinkled pink- she had never look more alive, or more beautiful.

"Miki!"

Miki turned around, and her grin widened as she walked over to Sabrina. "Just the change of clothes has made me feel so much better."

Sabrina glanced back to where Shane the guard stood, and then looked back at Miki. "I think it's a little more than the new clothes," she teased, lightly punching her arm.

Miki turned pink and looked at her feet. "Maybe… would it be okay if I went to talk to him?"

"Of course! I'll be fine by myself, those donuts are looking delicious," she told her, and scurried off to the donuts so that Miki could go to Shane.

The palace had never seemed so welcoming.

 **(a/n) I love Miki honestly, maybe because she's a lot like my best friend, and maybe because I feel like we all have a bit of Miki in us. Oh no, it's happening, I'm getting attached to characters. I should've seen this coming, dang flabbit.**

 **YOU RAISE ME UPPPPP! TO WALK ON STORMY SEAS! I am strong, when I am on your shoulders, you raise me upppp to more than I can day. YOU RAISE ME UPPPP! SO I CAN STAND ON MOUNTAINS!**

 **Sorry about that, but it just came on Pandora. Which is basically all I listen to, since the radio is just playing the same junk over and over again. *sorry Justin Bieber and Adam Levine fans* Guess I don't fit the average 8th grade stereotype.**

 **~M**


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